Friday, March 3, 2017

A Boy Called Bat: Blog Tour & Giveaway!

I'm thrilled to be part of a blog tour for another Walden Pond winner! A Boy Called Bat is going to be a title we all become familiar with, as it has an important place in libraries of all kinds: home, school, public and classroom.

In a time when we are fervently working to provide children with stories filled with diversity, Bat arrives to broaden some perspectives while reminding others that their experience is not entirely unique. This story about Bixby Alexander Tam, an autistic third grader, is a window book, and a mirror book. Some will look in and watch and learn. Others will see their life, their experiences, reflected back. This matters.

A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold

With pictures by Charles Santoso

Walden Pond Press, 2017 (3/14/17)

Realistic Fiction

208 pages

Recommended for grades 3+

Why this will appeal to young readers:

Animals-children have a love of animals, we know this. The desire Bat has to raise the baby skunk is one kids will identify with. What kid doesn't want to raise a baby animal?

The cover-Bold, simple, clean. This cover doesn't work too hard at appealing to one type of reader over another.

It's real-Bat feels real. The interactions between he and his family also feel real. Nothing here is forced, there is no agenda.

Readability-Short chapters, illustrations sprinkled throughout, and generous white space will make this chunky book feel accessible to readers that hesitate at lengthy stories.

And once kids are lured in by the animal aspect, the cover, the realness and the readability, there won't be any trouble keeping them. It's hard not to fall in love with Bat and his mission.

From the publisher:
For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life
tends to be full of surprises—some of them good,
some of them not so good. Today, though, is a good
surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought
home a stray baby skunk, which she needs to take
care of until she can hand him over to a wildanimal
shelter.
But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they
belong together. And he’s got one month to show
his mom that a baby skunk just might make a
pretty terrific pet.
Written by acclaimed author Elana K. Arnold
and filled with drawings by Charles Santoso,
A Boy Called Bat is a story of first
friendship—the
first book in a
new series
starring an
authentic,
unforgettable
autistic character.

Enter for a chance to win a copy!
Contest closes Sunday, March 5th at 10:00pm eastern time.

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Really want to win a copy of the book? Check out these stops on the blog tour!